a place to share...: food

Showing posts with label food. Show all posts

Time off.

started with a birthday cake & ended with a pie. {my kind of holiday}

{if you didn't get your homemade pumpkin pie fix- or even if you did- this is a good recipe.}

Peachy.

Remember this little peach tree?

The first summer, it gave us a few... Last year, next to none (due to pruning too late, and possible over-pruning).

This year, we learned our lesson- and it paid off. Or rather- paid out.

We've frozen some, baked with others...

and simply drank the rest.

It's amazing how quickly you can use 'em up when you put your mind to it.

Peach Margarita

serves 3

2 peaches

1/2 c tequila

1/4 c grand marnier

1 1/2 T honey

1 T lime juice (1 lime)

1 1/2 c ice

{garnish}

1 T sugar

2 T salt (kosher)

lime wheel

mix salt & sugar.

rub lime wedge on edge of glasses.

dip in salt & sugar.

blend remaining ingredients, & pour.

garnish glasses with lime wheel.

*peeling the peaches is optional.

(we've been leaving them unpeeled)

{ryan found the recipe here}

It's a good one.

Coveting {part one}.

last night~ in the midst of rough drafts & dirty dishes, we managed to squeeze in all three.

wednesdays call for a little 'special treatment', in my opinion.

do not (i repeat: do not) let this simple, understated image fool you. this meal is just pure [spring] perfection.

{we substituted with gluten-free brown rice bread, and goat cheese. oh my.....}

we saw this in bon appetit {april} on friday, and decided to to put it to the test.

it passed with high marks. but in remainder of the weekend, it grew even further on us. almost too pretty to drink. almost.

love, love, L O V E this show. every single character. we needed more comedy in our life, especially on a wednesday.

Spring has sprung.

...and we're doing our very best to rise to the occasion.

{venturing into new books. new endeavors. new life.}

A perfectly simple spring menu.

Last night I hosted the book club dinner (hence the continued blog hiatus). As usual, I was scrambling to finish reading the book up until the last minute (I swear, I've GOT to stop doing that. Next book up~ The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I have the book already... I commit to picking it up this weekend and at least putting a dent in it. [This was last night's book in case you're wondering... more to say on this later...]).

Anyways, I decided to serve a simple, light dinner. One that could be partially made ahead of time (or at least well-prepped in advance)... that consisted of minimal ingredients, steps, components... One that was fresh and 'spring-y'- and wouldn't leave people walking away feeling heavy and stuffed, and silently cursing you for sabotaging their 'summer-countdown-diet'... yet didn't sacrifice flavor or visual appeal for health and 'minimal effort.' For the most part, we're back on the 'alkaline cleanse', and it was nice to offer a meal that we'd eat any night of the week... as opposed to my usual [former] entertaining approach (over-complicate, over-feed, over-indulge).

It seems that perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away.

- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: Terre des hommes

And once again, simple proved to be better.

...

Here is the menu ~ my new go-to late-winter-early-spring-entertaining dinner...

{Rather than going over-board with appetizers (as I've done too many times, leaving everyone too full to enjoy the main course- and by the time dessert rolls around- forget about it...), I served this dip, along with a baked lentil chips and sliced cucumbers.}

cannellini bean & artichoke dip (recipe from my friend, christy)

1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 shallot, roughly chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1/3 cup olive oil (more, for consistency, if needed)
1 14 oz can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts or artichoke bottoms, drained
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
10-12 basil leaves

Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse to combine. Scrape down sides of bowl and continue to pulse until combined. Add additional oil if necessary to make a smooth consistency that is not dry but lightly textured and creamy. Season to taste with extra salt if desired.

{As for the salmon (below), I prepped it ahead of time, covered & set it back in the fridge (more flavorful this way). So when the time was right, all I had to do was place it into the broiler~ then just transfer it to a platter... lemon and all.}

succulent lemon-thyme salmon (5 ingredients. 10 minutes. almost too good to be true.)

{The following two recipes are from my friend (& microscopist/'health guru'), Barbara.}

red cabbage salad

1/2 red cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped
2 tsp agave (optional)
1/4-1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
1 tbsp bragg's liquid aminos
juice of half a lemon
6 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp pine nuts (raw or toasted)
Combine all ingredients. Chill for at least one hour.

couscous

1 cup of boiling water
1 cup whole-grain couscous
1 tbsp earth balance butter
1/2 tsp salt
Olive oil

Pour boiling water over butter and salt in a large bowl. Stir, then mix in couscous. Allow to stand for a few minutes. Stir with a fork and drizzle olive oil over it.

{...and last but not least...}

lovely lemon cupcakes

{...little bites of lemony-lusciousness...}

{...that I think would go mighty well with that 2nd cuppa coffee I'm about to pour. (cause it is friday afterall.)}

Good to the last drop.

Other than the fact that we've now officially entered "how-many-days-until-summer-mode" {far too early for our own good}, our Santa Barbara excursion was exactly what I hoped it would be.

Movies in bed...

Strolling through town. No plans. No schedule. No homework {Although, we [Jacob] did pay for that last one... Sunday evening.}...

Leaping. Laughing. Loving...

Pizza-eating...

Spending Sunday how it should be spent {Everyone else seems to have the right idea too.}...

Indulging {Thank you Erin for your recommendations. It was, in fact, the "best almond croissant outside of Paris." Except I should mention that I've never actually been to Paris. But I take your word for it.}...

Exploring {Hailey's studying California missions this year. Today, I'm headed to her class to volunteer for mission day. This got us in the spirit. Literally.}...

And relishing...

More indulging...

{...thanks to yet another new [amazing] app, [Didn't I recently proclaim to not be an "app person"?] had to try the "best corned beef"~ with the upcoming holiday, after all...}